title: Reprogramming of Vibrio harveyi gene expression during adaptation in cold seawater.
abstract: The life and survival of the marine bacterium Vibrio harveyi during its adaptation in natural aquatic systems is highly influenced by the availability of nutrients and temperature. To learn about adaptation strategies evolved by this bacterium to cope with drastic temperature downshifts and nutrients depletion, we have studied the phenotypical and gene expression changes occurring in V. harveyi during its adaptation to cold seawater. We found that incubation in cold seawater up to 12 h did not cause any significant morphological changes in V. harveyi and had no effect on the number of viable and culturable cells. Microarray analysis revealed that the V. harveyi response to cold seawater leads to up- and downregulation of numerous genes controlling the central carbon metabolism, nucleotide and amino acid biosynthesis as well as DNA repair. In addition, expression of some genes controlling biosynthesis of lipids, molecular transport, and energy production was altered to likely affect the composition and properties of the V. harveyi cell envelope, thus implying the putative role of this compartment in adaptation to stress. Here, we discuss these results with regard to the putative adaptive responses likely triggered by V. harveyi to cope with environmental challenges in natural aquatic systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.
authors.forename: Itxaso
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Montánchez
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arana
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parada
authors.forename: Idoia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Garaizabal
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orruño
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barcina
authors.forename: Vladimir R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Kaberdin
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015870:Gene Expression; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
keywords: bacterial adaptation to stress; cellular envelope; microarray analysis